That Time When // Pär Grindvik

Pär Grindvik is a true veteran of the Swedish techno scene. As a producer, he has remained a consistent contributor since the early 2000s, delving deep into genre's mind-bending, early-hours extremities. Grindvik's label Stockholm LTD has been of equal importance since its founding in 2002, featuring everyone from André Kronert to Pfirter and Jeroen Search.

Although largely an outlet for bugged-out 6am thumpers, the imprint has also hosted some significantly more avante-garde musings, a personal favourite being last year's split between Grindvik and fellow Swede Peder Mannerfelt, 'Corded'. The record explored a combination of crushing static, mine-shaft rhythms and Lovecraftian drones, the two artists complementing each other perfectly.

The most recent release, Grindvik's Isle Of Real explores a similar pairing of dancefloor and abstract ideas, and considering it marks his debut album, holds together remarkably coherently. Grindvik uses a combination of glacial snowscapes and tripped out 4/4 to create an LP as apt for the club as it is home listening. Track's like 'Never Give In' find themselves in the realms of '90s Warp experimentalism, while 'The Marlton' on the other hand could easily be a technoid rendition of a UK Grime instrumental.

With the album due for release shortly, we asked Grindvik to contribute something slightly different to our That Time When series, discussing five of the gigs he most regrets missing over the years.

###1 Motörhead - Anywhere_Anytime

I had so may chances to see Motörhead, as, like many others, I never thought that Lemmy would leave the stage. Another Perfect Day was my first ever album. I got it from my older brothers after telling them that I liked hard rock. The truth is that already at the age of four I was way more into synthesisers than guitars. Then Howard Jones released the The 12" Album and the year after I was doomed - sorry Lemmy please don't hate me! Fortunately as an adult I've spent way more time with Lemmy than Howard and I will always regret that I didn't take the chance to see him live.

###2 Kraftwerk - Lund_1991

In 1991 Kraftwerk released The Mix and during that tour they played in Sweden for the first time. I remember how badly I wanted to go. They did two dates, one show in Stockholm and one in Lund in the south of Sweden. The Lund show become legendary! One of my older cousins attended that show and managed to record some of it, a tape that I've probably listened to a thousand times.

###3 Orbital - Annexet_1994

I can't remember why I didn't go to this one. I remember that I had the flyer and that people where buzzing about it so much both before and after! It wasn't everyday an electronic act performed a concert of that size in Sweden and I think that Orbital, with their majestic, melodic tunes and flashlight glasses fit the format just perfectly.

###4 Grace Jones - Berlin_2009

I've always been a Grace fan and I think that she still has the same amazing presence with everything she does! When she released the Hurricane album in 2008-9? I was a bit sceptical about the record at first, but to be honest, the album stays true to both her artistry and the flavour of its time. Grace's 'One Man Show' is one of my absolute favourite music films and seeing her live has always been on my bucket-list, so when she was set to play Berlin in March 2009 I was excited to go, but in the end something got in the way! My daughter Morris was born a month too early.

###5 Cymande - Berlin_2016

It took me a while to choose the last one, but in the end it was just so obvious! Cymande are touring again and will be in Berlin this Saturday. Unfortunately there is zero chance I will be able to catch them as I’m traveling myself, such a pity really. Nothing gets my one year old Otis and myself in a better mood that listening to Cymande in the kitchen, preparing dinner before the rest of the family gets home. If you're in Berlin and reading this before May 7, go and see Cymande!

Isle Of Real is available for pre-order via decks.de, here.

• Published
• May 6, 2016

• Credits
• Words by Theo Darton-Moore